Eliminating Medications From My Regimen

If you've run the standard course of antibiotics recommended by the CDC for your Lyme disease, but still have symptoms, you may have post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS). While PTLDS isn't widely recognized by many doctors, it is recognized by Lyme-literate doctors (LLMDs).

You may want to work with your LLMD to see if you still want to stay on a course of antibiotics. However, long-term antibiotic usage can be bad for your gut flora; in some cases, you could develop a resistance to them, meaning that they may not work if you need to use them for an infection. Thankfully, there are alternative options to treat your PTLDS. You can look into Ayurvedic medicine, herbal protocols, and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Shilajit Supplements

Millions of years ago, when the Himalayan mountain range was formed, tropical forests were compressed under stones, creating a vegetable-like biomass known as Shilajit that is laced with many minerals and nutrients. Now when the weather warms up, Shilajit will actually seep out of the rocks and crevices of the mountains. In fact, Shilajit comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "rock tar," since this sticky, mineral substance seems to come out of the rocks. Shilajit has been used Ayurvedic, or traditional Indian medicine, because of its healing properties.

It can be used to help your Lyme disease by clearing your brain fog and helping you absorb nutrients. Shilajit boosts your Magnesium levels which in turn, can help your body heal from chronic inflammation. Many Lyme patients have arthritis in their joints, but if you take ginger with Shilajit, it can reduce these symptoms. Lastly, Shilajit is full of Vitamin B12, nickel, iron, and copper—all of which can help your energy levels.

Herbal Tinctures

There are many popular herbal tincture protocols out there — like the Cowden Protocol or the Buhner Protocol — that have been effective for PTLDS. However, you and your LLMD can mix and match herbs to find the "cocktail" that works best for your symptoms, since every patient is different.

Unfortunately, Lyme disease is often paired with other infections, like Babesia and Bartonella. To hit all of these infections at once, you may want to try herbs like Cryptolepis sanguinolenta and Side acuta. Broad-spectrum herbs, like Houttuynia, are also great because they have antibacterial properties and lower cytokine cascades (e.g. inflammation.)

Moxibustion Herbal Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapy where microscopic needles are inserted into the skin to increase the flow of energy. Acupuncture is great for people with Lyme since it can increase circulation, relieve anxiety and depression, help muscle and joint aches, and improve energy. You may want to try acupuncture with moxibustion—or the burning of an herb near the skin's acupuncture points. Moxibustion warms the muscles and improves blood circulation. Since Lyme bacteria dies more easily at higher temperatures, this added warmth could speed your healing.

Contact a natural health care service like Lotus Blooming Herbs or your LLMD for more treatment ideas.